A Year's Worth
by ShivaVixen
Summary: An Old AU set in S2. Anakin Skywalker goes missing in a fight against General Grievious. Two Years later, things have changed, and the only hope for the Republic is the missing Hero with no Fear. A lot can change in an year, so what about two?
1. Chapter 1

**So, me (age adult) and my Dad (age senior) decided that one summer I was home from college, we would bond over some good old movies. During the course of the discussion, we decided on watching the Star Wars Trilogies in the order that they were released, so original then prequel. After seeing the originals, I was hooked. (and can see why it was so popular, and why people continue to parody it, though I will not be a die-hard fanatic about it) So I started researching the movies and that inevitably lead to the Clone Wars movie (which my dad refused to watch, saying it was too kiddy, I think because he saw it was computer animated), which in turn lead me to the series. Now, this will be a short story- I have plans to re-write it into something much darker and more novel length, but that will be a while.**

 **Disclaimer: Really, you have to ask?**

Our Story Starts:

Anakin gasped as Grievous got his right hand. Both the hand and lightsaber went skidding away.

"You lose Jedi. I already got your Padawan, now I have you . . . and you're worth more alive." Anakin glared. "Tell me, how long did she live, after you rescued her?"

"I don't know, she's still in the Bacta tank." Anakin force shoved Grievous into a wall. "If you can't kill my padawan, how can you ever hope to beat me?"

"With some help." A dart hit Anakin in the neck. Apparently, Grievous had back up to capture him. "Don't worry Jedi, you won't die easily." Anakin collapsed like a puppet with its strings cut. The room started to spin mercilessly, and the floor felt like it was tilting. His vision grayed, warped and then finally blacked out.

"This doesn't make sense." A clone trooper with a blue-ish handprint on his armor shifted. He and five other clones were cuffed and left in a cell. "Why capture us alive?"

"Don't start, Echo. I've already got a headache." The clone to the right of him grumbled. His helmet had a huge dent in the side, giving the possible reason for the headache.

"Settle down, just remember your training." Captain Rex shifted, not enjoying the feeling of dread that settled in his stomach. "If they have General Skywalker, they'll be busy with him, and we just have to find a way to escape."

He'd been in tight spots before, and despite the possibility of not surviving . . . he wasn't going to give up without a fight. General Skywalker would be counting on him and his brothers to pull him out, especially with no guarantee that the Republic would rescue them.

Anakin awoke to a headache, other various pains, and a distinct lack of the force around him. He had his arms chained above his head, leaving him dangling from the ceiling of a rather large cell. Whether it was necessary or not, his ankles were chained as well to the floor, probably to keep him from kicking out.

"Comfortable?" Grievous entered with two Interrogation droids.

"I've had worse." Anakin growled.

"I'm sure you have. Start softening him up, I'm going to see to the clones." Anakin closed his eyes and struggled to center himself. He wasn't going to lose to anyone, let alone Grievous, but there were things he was going to have to do first.

While the force block kept him from actively sending, he couldn't rely on it to stay blocked, nor could he let anyone else get pulled into Grievous's claws because of him. With that in mind, he shut down the bonds he had to Padme, Ashoka, and Obi-wan, well aware that they would assume the worst. Obi-wan, and Ashoka, if she was able, would have to block the bond from their ends as well, to keep the chance of painful backlash from occurring. They wouldn't reopen the bond, once they blocked it. They might even completely erase it. Obi-wan could do that. Ashoka . . . Ashoka wouldn't understand until someone explained it to her. _As long as they're alive, I've got something to fight for. As long as they're alive, I can die. I might not want to, but I don't have a problem giving my life for theirs._

* * *

Obi-wan jerked awake in his room at the Temple. Anakin was gone. Quickly, even though a part of his mind screamed at him not to do it, he blocked the bond he had for Anakin. Otherwise he would risk the same pain that had plagued him after his own Master's death. Quickly, he reached out and through the small, tentative bond he had with Ashoka, blocked her Master from her mind. It would be far kinder in the end.

With that done, he closed his eyes and began to grieve, silently. For the young man that was once a son and a brother.

Padme woke, unsure of why, but then quickly held her husband's shirt closer. Something had happened to Anakin, of that much she was sure. "Come home, Ani. Please, come home to me." She hadn't been feeling well, and when she'd gone to the doctor, he'd confirmed her dreams and fears. She was pregnant, something that was wonderful to her, and her mother would have the grandchild to fuss over, but the war was showing no signs of ending, and now something had happened to her husband. "Please, be safe."

* * *

Two standard years later (Present time):

"Master Kenobi!" Obi-wan glanced up from his datapad. A familiar Toturga rushed up.

"Ashoka, if I may remind you, it's unseemly for a Jedi to run." He'd taken her on, as a favor to Anakin. She'd lost a little of her spark, after her encounter with Grievous and the loss of her first master. The datapad in his hand carried the notice that four padawans were knighted without the Trials, one of whom he felt was far too young. He blamed it on the war, which now seemed less likely to end.

It was almost if Anakin had been their only hope to actually win the war, and now that he was gone, so was their hope.

"I'm sorry, Master Kenobi, but Master Yoda and Master Windu wish to see you." Obi-wan nodded, and followed the young woman. Together they entered the war room. Commander Cody was there, as well as Captain Tyr, recently promoted.

"Good, you're here. We've got Reports that Grievous's ships keep going in and out of this system in the outer rim. We don't know why, and believe this may be his newest lair. There is no map for the system, so we'll be going in blind." Mace explained.

"We?"

"Accompany You and Padawan Tano, Master Windu and I shall." Yoda studied the two. "Actions as of late, worry us."

"Master Yoda . . . I still wish you had waited for more confirmation before declaring Anakin dead." Obi-wan crossed his arms. "I especially wish you had thought to tell me and Ashoka before you did so."

"On this subject, you and Naboo Senator agree. Argue no more on this, we will."

"My issue is I keep thinking he's right next to me in battle, so I'll leave my side open." Ashoka muttered. "Sometimes I swear I can hear him chiding me afterwards as well." Yoda heard her.

"Possible, that is, if one with the force, young Skywalker has become." Yoda nodded. "Tomorrow, we leave. Prepare yourselves, you will."

"Obi! Yousa here?" Jar Jar greeted the Jedi at Padme's apartment.

"Yes, I wished to talk to the Senator, is she here?"

"Obi-wan, it's good to see you again." Padme entered, wearing normal clothes and hair. "What news have you brought?"

"Nothing good, I'm afraid . . . The council, with myself as the minority, ruled Anakin a prisoner of war and, well, legally dead."

"It will take a couple months before the documents are signed, especially as they have no proof of death." Padme had already researched the legal routes and times. "The Chancellor himself wishes to be one of the signatures, as he has with every Jedi that has been killed."

"I'm sorry Padme . . . but I just can't keep hoping anymore . . . I run the risk of the darkside, if I stay attached too long."

"I know. But is it so wrong for me to wish that . . . the jedi I loved will one day come back with that same cocky smile?" Obi-wan shifted, surprised. "He said he shared my feelings, Obi-wan. I wish there had been more . . . He even offered to leave the Jedi order, if I would leave the senate and we'd go where neither would bother us and be together . . . we talked and never got anywhere, both caught up in the war and our duty." She fingered a worn trinket around her neck, a gift from Anakin.

"I understand . . . I'm a bit in a similar situation, though I haven't seen her since a little over a year ago." Obi-wan saw her surprise, and smiled. "You and Anakin aren't the only ones that have come to close to crossing the line. It's happened before."

"Well, can you keep it a secret?"

"Of course . . . considering how well Anakin has kept mine, when I half expected him to tell as many people as he could."

"Anakin would never betray your trust, Obi-wan, he loves you too much." It was so easy to talk like that, as if Anakin was just around the corner. It was probably what kept her from falling apart.

It was working for Obi-wan, despite the rule of no attachments. You don't not get attached to the little boy who you nursed when sick, laughed with when happy, and fiercely protected your interests despite not liking them himself, you just gave up.

He missed Anakin, plain and simple. They all did, especially Artoo.

The blue astro-droid had chosen to stay with Ashoka, despite clearly wanting Anakin, and Ashoka hadn't the heart to wipe his memory. Even C3PO had asked about 'Master Anakin'. It was clear there was a hole left and morale for everyone was dropping now that the Hero with No Fear was gone.

Padme sank to the couch as Obi-wan left. Jar Jar left her alone, the good natured- if clumsy- Gungan understood that there were times when Padme just needed space. She had hidden her pregnancy, had taken time off from the senate to give birth and explain to her mother, while not everything, enough so she wouldn't worry. But she still wished her husband had been there . . . it was half his responsibility too!

"Twins, Ani, we have twins." Luke and Leia. They had discussed names when they had discussed the possibility of having children . . . Padme sighed. She'd been going back and forth between the two planets so she could be with her children. It was starting to wear her down. "If only you were here, Ani . . . I need you." Her term was almost over. Then she could retire from politics and be a mother. She wiped her eyes, which had started to tear up again. "I know you're still alive Ani. I know you are . . . please, come back." The words traveled through the bond and to a man that was almost forgotten.


	2. Chapter 2

A Year and Half ago:

Anakin struggled to keep himself from losing to the dark. It was what they wanted, and he always did have a problem living with others expectations of him. Closing his eyes, though it didn't change much, he focused on his friends.

Rex, the clone captain was somewhere nearby, from the way Grievous talked. He was loyal and had a bit more personality than Cody. Were they friends? He wasn't sure, most of the clones that worked with the Jedi seemed to be, but Anakin couldn't quite forget that clones were like Jedi in the 'attachment' department. He'd like to think they were loyal to them because they wanted to be, not because they had to be.

Ashoka, his padawan learner, he hadn't wanted one, especially because of the war and it was one more person he could get attached to, one more person that he could lose. The girl was just as stubborn as he was, though. Now he didn't want to lose her, he wanted to see her knighting ceremony, wanted to feel the proud of her. She was a good kid, when it came down to it, he saw something in her that he hoped would be in his own daughter, if he and Padme had children. He especially wanted her to be there for that.

Obi-wan, they hadn't started out as much, he was just a promise to a dying man and Obi-wan was struggling to find a center of balance through the first couple of years. They did become friends though, some mix of respect and familial love . . . As much as they got on each other's nerves, Anakin wouldn't trade his time with Obi-wan for anything. He was important to him, a grounding influence that kept him steady.

And finally, there was Padme, his beloved wife. Was she safe? He hoped so, though she was much like him when it came for trouble, even though she was a bit more grounded in reality and logic than he was. She was a calming influence, she had seen him at his worst and still loved him for it. He loved her with every fiber of his being, he'd have no problem dying for her.

He wouldn't have a problem dying for any of them, actually.

"What do we do with him?"

"Eh, throw him in with the remaining clones until General Grievous gets back."

Present Day:

"Well, Grievous isn't here, just a bunch of clankers- I mean droids." Ashoka stepped over one. "Masters?- Oh!" The trio had found the trophy room, and on one shelf was a familiar hand, still grasping a lightsaber. "Master . . ." Ashoka felt her eyes burn.

"Still doubt Skywalker's fate?" Mace, despite the cold and aloof tone and appearance, was actually a little sickened. Even he had held out a small hope for Anakin's survival.

"Why were they in this section? There's only one planet, but it's rather small."

"Check it, we must. Young Tano, take Skywalker's saber, leave it here, we shall not." Ashoka obeyed, shaky hands taking the mechanical hand and holding it tight.

True to form since Anakin had been captured and rumored to be dead, the simple task of getting to the surface cost too much. Both of the large ships exploded and the small craft that was piloted by Ashoka nearly landed in a lake. She managed to crash it on the shore.

"I'm so glad Skyguy didn't see that landing." Ashoka muttered, embarrassed.

"Why? It's how he lands half the time." Obi-wan saw her shift her bag.

"Yeah." Ashoka bit her lip, a habit she had recently picked up. "I know it's wrong, but I miss him."

"Nothing wrong with missing Skywalker." They both glanced at Yoda. "Trained you, he has, a friend he was. Grieving, a natural process is, no jedi can pretend otherwise."

"I won't let it affect my decisions."

"Know that, I do."

"Well . . . Let's see what we can find." Artoo beeped, and started to scan.

" . . . Skywalker always did encourage you to think on your own." Mace commented, moving to stand near the droid. "We didn't even ask." Artoo just beeped and started to roll. "Well, it found something."


	3. Chapter 3

One and half standard year ago:

"General . . ." Rex supported the severely weakened Jedi. He and his men had most of their armor taken when they were transferred to the prison ship, leaving them with the black body suit that went under it, some armor on their forearms and shins, "Hang on, sir, we've got you." The Jedi had been thrown into their cell after Grievous had left to pursue other Jedi. It was a mistake the clankers weren't going to forget.

"Rex . . . what?" Anakin struggled to figure out why the clone Captain was pulling him through the halls. Pain and the drugs forced into his system kept him from that goal, so he just trusted Rex to get him out.

"Grievous is off the ship, sir, we can escape."

"How many . . . brothers?"

"Me, Echo, Fives and Splint." As he spoke, Splint and Fives returned from scouting the bridge. "We lost Steel and Cutter." Grievous had killed them for sport, but it was clear the General wasn't quite following everything that was being said to him.

"No good, Captain, we're in hyperspace, and there are too many droids guarding the ship." For a moment, silence reigned. Anakin lifted his head.

"Escape pods. We can use those." It took all his strength just to focus and pass on that one idea.

"Sir we could end up burning in a star." Anakin just met Rex's eyes. Despite being almost dark from the pain, there was still a spark of life in them. "Then again, this is you, so we just might make it." The escapees made it to the pods with little trouble. Echo and Fives helped get Anakin in, while Rex cursed as he studied the controls.

"One of us would have to stay here to detach it." The door slammed shut, Splint on the other side. "Splint!"

"Sorry sir, it's been an honor, take care of the general." With that, he jettisoned the pod, just as the droids realized Anakin had escaped. He pulled out a small device. "Sorry Clankers, but you won't get bragging rights . . ." Cutter and Steel had been his best friends, they'd been through everything together. Now he was going to join them.

"You did what?!" Rex looked at Fives. They were getting tossed around as they exited Hyperspace, and their stomachs were getting a nasty lurching feeling. Rex a bit more frustrated that Splint had stayed behind, despite being a younger Trooper.

"Wired the ship to explode . . . Splint's specialty was bombs, sir!" An Explosion rocked them as the exited Hyperspace and were promptly caught by a small planet's gravity. Rex grabbed the controls, bringing it down for a landing. Sensors did show an okay atmosphere. Moments later the pod was tumbling across a grassy plain, knocking them all around a bit. Finally, it rolled to a stop, and those inside breathed a sigh of relief.

"We escaped the Clankers . . . let's hope we can get a healer or something and survive until the Republic finds us." Anakin's soft groan sounded loud in the pod. Echo and Fives silently agreed.

"Well, that was a fun landing." Fives held Anakin's weight as Rex and Echo pulled out all the emergency supplies. They're weren't that much, as it was probably meant for Droids, but there was some.

"One of Rex's better ones." The jedi general agreed, before the ground called and pulled him down. "Sorry . . ."

"We need to move out of the open, then we can get a look at your injuries, General." Rex shouldered a bag while Echo grabbed two bags. Rex then got to the other side of Anakin to help him walk, Anakin's right leg wasn't supporting his weight.

"I trust you, Captain." Anakin's head struggled to stay up. He was fighting unconsciousness, but it was a losing battle. He just wanted to curl up and sleep for years. Before they could move, he started to cough. He kept coughing and Rex grew alarmed as his lips turned blue. The general wasn't getting enough air to his lungs.

"Is there an oxygen mask in the supplies?" They lowered him down. Echo found a small bottle with air, it would only last a few minutes, maybe an hour, but it would have to be enough. "Breathe, sir, Breathe, we've got you."Anakin coughed and sputtered a bit, but the oxygen helped. Rex ignored the faint chill down his back as his general breathed.

That sound really was unnerving.

"Alright, let's try this again."

* * *

Present:

"Unless I miss my guess, Grievous is here as well." A larger, but still wrecked ship was on the grassland. There were a lot of destroyed droids, though it looked like they had taken more 'friendly' fire than anything resembling a fight. It also appeared that the wreck had been there for awhile. Artoo beeped in concern, scanning for any droids.

"Great, we're stranded on a Planet that no one's ever been 'cause it's too small for anything useful, and the head clanker himself is here too. This day has to start looking up soon." Ashoka sighed.

"Yes, but you're overlooking a very important point, young padawan." Obi-wan crossed his arms.

"And that is?"

" _Why_ has Grievous even bothered to come here? If there's really nothing, then he wouldn't have bothered landing his ship."

" . . . You've got a point." Ashoka reluctantly agreed.

"Well, be that as it may, Artoo found life signs in the opposite direction of Grievous and his droids." Mace glanced at the loyal astrodroid. Whirring, the blue droid began rolling in a direction.

"Then follow, we must." Yoda hoped onto a Clone's back. "Captain Tyr, if I may?"

"I can carry you, General." The clone captain nodded. Yoda settled onto his back.

"Lead the way Artoo." Ashoka smiled at the affirmative beep. Then frowned as they entered high grass. "Masters . . . the force . . ."

"I feel it too . . . apparently this grass has natural force blocking tendencies." Obi-wan studied a piece he had plucked. "Rather interesting, it doesn't completely block it, but it does make it harder to focus."

"Obi-wan, while I appreciate your knowledge, now's really not the time." Mace was about to say more, but he was thumped on the head by Yoda's cane.

"Interesting, it is. Listen to Master Kenobi, you will." Mace ducked his head, but frowned at Ashoka's smile. "Amusing, Young Tano?" Yoda noticed as well.

"Yes, I thought only padawans like myself and those younger were the ones that felt your stick, Master Yoda."

"Good portion of the Jedi, Younger than me they are." Yoda smiled. "Continue, Master Kenobi."

"Right." Obi-wan coughed, knowing that he would not be able to forget Mace's look when Yoda had tapped him on the head. "As I was saying, this might account for Grievous going in the opposite direction, if he can't get a good grip on the force . . . actually, I'd theorize that this planet's vegetation blocks the darkside of the Force more than the light, if that's the case."

"Forgive me for not following, General, but what is the darkside? I've heard it mentioned before, but I never understood." The rookie clone, Booster, spoke up. Cody frowned, but didn't bother correcting him. He'd had trouble understanding until he asked as well.

"The Light side of the force is what the Jedi use, we're capable of using it when we're calm and ready to protect. To Jedi and other Force users, it appears as a bright light in all living things." Booster listened, still keeping an eye on his job. "The darkside . . . it's when a Jedi uses emotions of hate, anger and fear to use the force. From what I understand, it can be rather addicting, but you can easily lose the person you are to it. But it's also harder to see, as it never shows itse;f as anything in our vision. We can sense it as a cold sensation. The Sith use it."

"So, Jedi can't act out of Anger for the chance of using it?" Booster tilted his head, slowly understanding.

"Right, That's not to say we haven't brushed against it, though, we're not perfect." Obi-wan sighed.

"So . . . which is stronger? The Light?"

"They're actually about equal." Obi-wan dropped the piece of grass. "The Darkside is easier, but it can corrupt you to become less than your normal self."

"I think I understand, General." Booster mulled the thoughts over in his head. "Is it alright if I ask more questions later?"

"Yes. It helps to understand your enemies abilities and weaknesses." Obi-wan frowned suddenly and stopped.

"General Kenobi, are you alright?"

"Yes . . . it's nothing. Just my mind playing tricks on me." He shook his head, and then they were moving forward.

No one spoke for a bit and Ashoka used the time to study her master's hand.

"Anything of interest, padawan?"

"It was cut off by a light saber, but I'd guess Skyguy still has part of it." Ashoka held the hand before putting it back. "It probably hurt, when it happened."

"Your master's pain, you fear?"

"Yes, Master Yoda . . . I'd rather him have died quickly and without pain, rather than suffer." She glanced down.

"We're almost to the location." Mace spoke up, and everyone went silent again.

"Well, so much for life forms." Obi-wan stared at the abandoned clearing. Something had been there, but it was gone.

Artoo whirred, and rolled around the perimeter, trying to find the life forms he had scanned.

"I can't sense a thing." Obi-wan glanced in surprise at Mace.

"Difficult, it is." Ashoka suddenly cried out in surprise, a wood dart hitting her in the neck. She crumpled, and in the next few moments, everyone had been hit with darts. As unconsciousness took them, they dimly saw figures emerge from the grass. Artoo continued to whirr and beep in distress, but everyone blacked out.


	4. Chapter 4

A standard year and a half ago:

"Well general, I think your ribs are just bruised, not broken, and your right leg is broken." Echo finished checking him out. "That's not mentioning the burns and the cuts." Anakin closed his eyes.

"You're forgetting all the drugs in my system."

"There's not a lot we can do about any of this, sir. We don't have medic training." Rex sighed. Field medicine covered burns and cuts, broken bones weren't as detailed, at least for his group, there were field medics who knew all that.

Splint was supposed to have been one, but he'd apparently preferred bombs to medicine.

"This is a mess . . . blasters are barely charged and won't last long, and other than that, we have no weapons." Fives scowled at the weapons.

"Yeah, and I'm out until something starts to heal." Anakin opened his eyes. "But we just have to survive. We can't worry about the future now, we have to just focus on the moment and survive. We can make it."

"Right! I remember the survival guide for planets we haven't been!" Echo noted the look from Fives. "What? I don't always read the Regulations, sometimes I read survival guides and other informational books."

"Well, sounds like this will be your shining moment." Rex sighed. "You know how to patch up the General?"

"Yes, but I've never done it . . ."

"Well, you're going to have to, Echo." Anakin shifted. "I need to get patched up, sooner, not later. I can do a healing trance, but that's it. I can't heal the worse damage. And at this point, even if it heals wrong at least it healed."

"I . . . I understand, General."

"Then do it, we need to find better shelter than the pod, just in case there's something out here."

"You sense something?"

"Yeah, but I don't know what." Anakin winced as Echo touched a particularly tender spot. "Hard for me to focus."

"Considering the bruise you have on your head, I'm not surprised, General." Echo kept working with bandages and quickly made a wooden splint for Anakin's leg. Anakin's hisses of breath were the only sounds he made of pain. He didn't want to alert any hostiles that one of the four was in trouble.

* * *

Present:

"Ooh, my head." Ashoka woke up to a headache. That's when she realized she was tied up with rope.

"Good to see you awake, it is." Yoda was across from her. "Captured by natives, we are." Obi-wan and Mace groaned, as the Clones also began to stir.

"What was in those darts . . . why can't I feel the force?"

"The answer to the first, I know not. Force, blocked by the grass in ropes and hut, it is." Yoda sighed. "Taken our weapons they have. Talk with them, we must." Artoo beeped from where he was tied to a pole.

"If we can." The door opened, and two furry, fox-like creatures that walked on their hind legs entered. They had large ears, and bushy tails, one was gold, the other red furred. They noticed the prisoners awake.

"Awake?" The red furred one blinked. Its voice was high-pitched and rather sweet.

"They're Awake!" The Gold one chirped, and its voice was similar.

"Excuse me, why-?" Obi-wan never got to finish. Both creatures jumped a foot in the air, no mean feat, for something the size of Yoda.

"It talks!"

"The creature talks!" Once again the gold repeated the red one's comment.

"Of course we talk!" Ashoka glanced at Obi-wan who shrugged.

"That one talks too!"

"It does! It does!" The gold one agreed.

"General, this isn't working." Cody muttered.

"I'm Obi-wan Kenobi, a Jedi-" Once again, he was cut off.

"A Jedi?"

"A Knight?"

"Yes, I'm a Jedi Knight."

"A real knight?" The red one turned to the gold one.

"Another Knight?" Gold tilted its head, trying to figure it out.

"Look, we mean you no harm, can you let us go?" Ashoka felt annoyed by this point.

"No!"

"We Can't!"

"You could lie!"

"Other Knights aren't always Knights!"

"The real Knight will tell!" So agreeing, the two rushed out.

"Well, that went well, I think we're scheduled for trial now." Obi-wan stated drily. He wished Anakin was here, even if it was just to give a sarcastic comment. "They took our light sabers."

"Wait, we will. Sense something, I do."

"Well, might as well. I doubt I could walk in a straight line, anyway." Ashoka leaned against Cody. He frowned at her, but allowed her to do so. Several hours passed, and Mace noted something out the open door.

"There are two humans out there." Brownish green hooded cloaks hid their build, but they were talking with more of the creatures (some even had small tunics rather than just their fur). They received two bundles, and one pulled out a lightsaber. They clearly recognized it, and then they took both bundles and left. The creatures started dancing around.

"The Knight comes tomorrow! The Knight comes tomorrow!" They sang, and Ashoka shook her head.

"How did we get caught? They're like children!"

"Judge not by appearances, young Tano."

"I'm going to have to agree with Padawan Tano." Mace muttered.

"Meditate, we will. Clear your minds, think not of our trouble." They all obeyed.

The next day came bright and early with anticipation. The furry fox creatures began to decorate the village.

"I don't suppose they could feed us." Ashoka stared at the soup pot.

"Let's not push our luck, shall we?" Obi-wan gave Ashoka a look. "For all we know, they're cannibals."

"Master Kenobi- you . . ." Ashoka trailed off. "Oh forget it."

"Well, we can see the entrance to the village from here. We'll see this mysterious Knight soon enough." Mace went silent after that.

As they watched, the creatures lined up, and two men entered. One had a darker brown cloak, the other had black. It billowed around him and they all tensed. Black reminded them of the sith.

"A sith lives here?"

"Doubtful, that is." Yoda then shushed them. The man in the black cloak entered their prison hut.

"Well, looks like even Masters Yoda and Windu can get caught off guard." The man chuckled and pulled down his hood with his left hand. "I believe this is the eighth time I've had to rescue you, Master."

The voice had made Obi-wan and Ashoka's hearts pound, realizing who it was before their minds caught up.

"Master!"

"Anakin!" The young man smiled, his hair a little longer and more shaggy than it had been. The smile was a little strained and tired, and he looked a little pale.

"They're friends!" He quickly called out to the furry creatures. They cheered, and several swarmed into release the Jedi and clones from their bonds.

"Friends! Friends!" The creatures chanted. "Sit and eat with us!"

"Anakin, How-?" Obi-wan gripped his friends' shoulder, the closest to a hug he could get with the small furry creatures dancing around. Anakin returned the one handed grip.

"Long story, I'm afraid it will have to wait after the Vulpes' hospitality . . . and don't bother trying to correct them if they say something that is wrong, it's not worth the headache and they don't listen anyway." Anakin sighed. Ashoka didn't bother worrying about them, she grabbed Anakin in a hug like she wouldn't let go. Anakin wrapped his right arm around her, or rather, what was left of his right arm, and then let go of Obi-wan to wrap his left around her as well. "Miss me Snips?" He gently probed for her end of the bond.

"Skyguy, I thought you were dead!" She let the block go and relaxed as the familiar presence of her master brushed her consciousness once more. "But you're not, so I can return to training under you, right?" It was directed to the other Jedi.

"What, you don't like the way I teach?" Obi-wan smiled. "Yes, Ashoka, you can." Then Obi-wan noticed Anakin's arm. "Oh, Anakin . . ." Instead of just missing a hand, he'd lost even more of it, up to his elbow. His sleeve had been sewn shut. Anakin noticed his gaze and gave him a soft smile.

"It's alright, Obi-wan. I'm alright." Ashoka pulled back and looke in horror at what was left of her master's right arm.

"Master-"

"It's okay, padawan, it doesn't slow me down. And I can get a prothstetic when we return to the temple." Ashoka felt his reassurance ease her mind. "Now, we might as well enjoy the fest they've made."

"Eat Now! Eat Now!" The furry Vulpes tugged on them, and they were led to the center of town which had turned into a picnic spot. The color of the Vulpes fur ranged from tan to red, with a few sporting brown patches of fur as well.

"Rex, you're alive!" Cody found who the other man in the dark cloak was. The black body suit and the remains of the armor were still there, but Rex wore a brown tunic over it.

"So are you, Commander." Rex saluted. "Good to see you all. Sorry Echo and Fives left you- they don't rank high enough for the Vulpes to listen to in matters of prisoners." He sat down, accepting the bowl given to him by one of the furry creatures- Vulpes.

"Um, is this edible?" Ashoka sat next to Anakin. She stared at the strange soup she'd been given. It was green with blue things in it.

"Yes. Doesn't taste like much, though." Anakin began to eat. Ashoka watched as he balanced the bowl on his lap, using the stump of his right to keep it steady so he could eat left handed. She knew he was naturally right handed, and was impressed with how easily he did things left handed. "Well, are you going to eat?" Hesitantly she sipped the broth, and then promptly choked. She wasn't the only one, though.

"Skywalker, you call this edible?" Mace looked at him as if he was crazy.

"I didn't say it tasted _good_." Anakin still ate like nothing was wrong. "Then again, I've had to eat this for a while, so I'm probably used to it." He put the bowl to his mouth to drain the broth. "And this is one of the better dishes." Obi-wan made a face as he looked at the bowl. He wasn't sure he wanted to even try getting used to the soup.

"What's it called?"

"Kreb-Gran Stew." Anakin accepted seconds from a female looking Vulpe. "It's better if you don't know what's in it."

"What's on the skewers, then?" The vulpes were roasting meat.

"Probably Char meat. It's got a funny after taste, but if you eat the pogu, it helps." He pointed to a bowl of white paste like stuff.

"I don't think that's Char meat, I think is Karch." Rex commented from where he was eating. "Size is about right."

"In that case, don't even bother eating it." Anakin made a face. Rex laughed.

"It's not that bad, sir."

"Rex, despite the agreement we'll try everything once, I still wish I _hadn't_ tried Karch." Anakin declined as a Vulpe with a tray tried to give him the meat in question. "I'll stick with Kreb-Gran Stew."

"Hmm, good food." Yoda apparently enjoyed it. The clones ate without complaint, though it was clear Rex was the only one with a taste for the stuff.

"It's good to see you alive Skywalker, but how did you survive?"

"Later, Master Windu. Just live in the moment."

"Then we shall." Yoda nodded, before his eyes narrowed a bit and a small smiled appeared. "About to be ambushed, you are." Anakin was then pounced on by the smaller versions of the creatures that were the children.

"Hello!"

"Knight!"

"Hello, kits, what do you want?" He smiled as one clambered up to sit in his hood, which he had left down.

"Will you Play?" The one in his hood gripped his hair, playing with it.

"Play?" Another looked at the one nest to him.

"No!" That one shook its head.

"No, tell a story!" The third changed the request.

"Yes, Yes, Story!" They all agreed on that.

"What story do you want to hear?" Anakin put down his now empty bowl and let one of the kits climb up on his lap. Another burrowed into his cloak, and the others quickly found spots around him, one even sitting on Master Windu's lap. The Jedi master frowned, but did not bother moving the kit.

"This ought to be good." Ashoka muttered to Obi-wan, who smiled. The children started to answer.

"A Knight story!"

"An epic!"

"Magic!"

"An epic knight story with magic!" A tiny one with reddish gold fur piped up, waving its paws.

"But not scary!" Its twin added, eyes wide and gripping its own tail.

"Not scary, huh?" Anakin glanced at Obi-wan and smiled. Obi-wan knew what was probably going to happen, but he let him. He wanted to see what damage his former padawan had been doing. "Alright, this is a story of Knight Kenobi, when he first had a student." Anakin then gave the story, slightly dramatizing the events, though he didn't make himself the main character. Obi-wan recognized it as the first mission they did as padawan and master, though it was a delivery mission for some Senator's son, not delivering a magical artifact. That had been the only mission that had gone smoothly, actually. All the rest soon developed an annoying habit of attracting attention and trouble.

The kits enjoyed it, though. After he finished, they rushed off to play make believe, and used the story as the idea.

"Village Storyteller, are you?" Obi-wan raised an eyebrow.

"You did say I had the imagination for it. And there wasn't much else I could do for a while. Rex is distracting the rest of the Kits, so we can get ready to leave." Anakin reached out and used Ashoka to lever himself up, and that's when they noticed the disappearance of the clone captain. "They don't mind if we slip away, they love any excuse for a party." He winced, "I really shouldn't sit on the ground." They headed to the entrance of the village to wait. When they got there, Anakin used the force to pick up the bag and open it, revealing their lightsaber's and weapons. "Here, you better take them. Echo and Fives took them so the Vulpes wouldn't play with them and get hurt."

"Anakin . . . this grass blocks the force, how can you use it?"

"It's mostly the darkside, though, if you focus a little more, you can still use the light." Anakin pointed out. "And I've had practice." Rex strolled up, fixing his cloak.

"Special reason for the cloaks?" Cody appraised the captain. Rex just shrugged.

"They're gifts. And having a hood is a good thing when you go through the forests for long periods of time." Anakin flipped his hood up. "Especially in the rainy season, which this is."

"How long have you been here?" Rex and Anakin looked at each other, both looking a bit stricken.

"Uh- How long have we been gone, Snips?"

"Two standard years."

"Two Years?!" Both looked surprised.

"We must've been on Grievous' prison ship longer than we thought." Rex muttered.

"I know I lost track of time." Anakin nodded.

"You had an excuse sir." They began walking.

"It's later, or are we going to have to wait until we get to wherever we're going?"

"Patience, this isn't a good time to talk." Anakin chided Ashoka. "And we'll give the full report when we're somewhere that's safer than the middle of the woods." He ducked as a bird-like creature swooped over his head.

"Oh . . ." The group went back to silence. Artoo beeped at Anakin.

"Yes, I did miss you, Artoo. I actually missed everyone." He gave a wry smile and patted the droid's dome. "I even missed Master Jocasta Nu at the library, that's how bad I miss the temple." Obi-wan and Yoda both chuckled. She was known for being the most difficult master to get along with, as she preferred the thousands of archives to actual company.

"And we missed you as well, Anakin." Obi-wan smiled at him. "Jar Jar, Padme and even C3PO were asking about you."

"And how are they?" Anakin stopped by a tree.

"Worried, but Padme is still proving she's the best Senator of Naboo ever elected."

"Glad to know that hasn't changed." Anakin took a deep breath and began moving again. Obi-wan frowned.

The same sort of thing happened twice more. Anakin would stop against a tree to either ask a question or respond, take a breath and then begin moving again. After the third time, Obi-wan noticed that Rex had come next to Anakin's right.

It turned out Rex knew something more about Anakin's condition. Ashoka was telling Anakin about Bariss's knighting ceremony and the small after party. He laughed at one of the scenes and suddenly the laugh turned to a cough. Rex grabbed him and took his weight. "I've got you, General." For a moment, it looked like Anakin had lost consciousness, and Rex was the only thing that kept him from hitting the ground.

"Skyguy, are you alright?" Ashoka hovered, unsure of what he needed.

"Let's put it this way, I'll be happy to see the healers when we get home Snips." His voice now raspy from the coughing, Anakin leaned on Rex.

"Do you need to rest, Skywalker?" Mace frowned as Anakin met his gaze.

"Nah, I can rest when we get to the camp." Anakin closed his eyes. "We're almost there." Ashoka quickly took his other side.

The 'camp' turned out to be a rock cave. Echo and Fives stood at attention at the entrance, though there was a flash of concern when they saw Anakin. Rex took his full weight again and left Ashoka with the others.

"Looks like you've done quite well for yourselves." Kenobi put them at ease.

"Depends on your version of well, sir." Fives sighed. "Apologies for not getting you out of the stocks, but they only listen when General Skywalker says something or asks."

"The captain explained. May we enter?"

"Yessir. We'll see if we can find where the natives put the extra chairs." As they entered, they came into a room with a few others that branched off. A fire crackled in a small stone pit in the center. Rex came out from one that had a curtain.

"The General's in a healing trance. I can give you my report now, if you wish, while we wait for him to wake up."

"Yes, wish to hear this report, I do." Yoda took a grass chair.

"What's wrong with Skywalker?"

"He's been poisoned, it's a slow acting one, if he pushes himself he gets weak and out of breath, more he pushes himself, the weaker he gets and the longer it takes to recover." Rex glanced at Echo and Fives. "He pushed himself pretty hard a few days ago, he's been bedridden since, today was the first day out of bed for him."

"And he spent it walking." Obi-wan sighed. Typical of Anakin to do something like that when he should be resting.

"I offered to carry him, but he would have none of it."

"Out of order, this is. At the beginning, you must begin."

* * *

 **The creatures mentioned here, called the Vulpes by me, are actually from** _ **Tsubasa: The Resevoir Chronicles**_ **Volume 6 (I think). It' a Manga by CLAMP. And they really do talk and look like that. (Vulpes- Vulpine- fox.) They're cute.**

 **I was going to use the Ewoks, but I changed my mind at the last minute, I needed something that would speak with the characters. Though I could have had Anakin learn to speak Ewok-ese, I couldn't have the others understand, and they needed to interact.**


	5. Chapter 5

One and Half Year ago:

"He's getting worse, I don't know what else there is to do." Echo quietly admitted to Rex and Fives. Anakin was flushed and sweating with fever, and he kept twitching. "I don't even know what his temperature is."

"Then we just have to take care of him, until either he gets better or . . ." Rex didn't have to say the rest, they all knew what the alternative was. "You two get some sleep, I'll wake you up in a bit for your watch." They nodded, both silently laying down for the night. Rex stood, leaning against a rock, and silently watched out for his companions.

Anakin felt like he was burning. His entire body was on fire and all he wanted to do was jump into an ice lake. Then suddenly the feelings would switch, and he'd be freezing, wishing to be warm. The worst part was that he couldn't figure why he was like this. He had no memory of anything before the burning and freezing. Had life always been like this?

He knew that was silly, but his mind was doing its best to protect him and purposely blocked memories. The fire came back, this time with claws that dug into him. His throat hurt, was he screaming?

"General!" a voice broke through the pain. He knew that voice, didn't he? Before the pain, he knew it. "General, take it easy, you're safe!"

Safe? No, Safe was without pain, this was the opposite of safe.

"Sir, trust me! We're not going to let you die without a fight!"

So he _was_ dying. That explained a lot. But should he trust the voice? He thought he should, but it was kind of hard to think for very long.

"Sir, it's Rex, You've come to far to quit now . . ." Water, there was water on a rag. "It's Rex, Anakin, you can trust me, everything will be alright."

Rex . . . he knew that name. Rex didn't leave . . . Rex stayed loyal. Rex was trustworthy. He tried to relax, but the burning sensation came back, this time with sensation of freezing. He made a noise, but he couldn't think of it's name.

Rex kept talking to the fever delusioned General, though whether or not he was heard remained to be seen.

"You're going to be okay, Anakin, it's going to be fine." Using 'Anakin' instead of his normal address of 'General' felt strange, but it was clear that Skywalker couldn't recognize what was going on. Rex felt something brush his mind, then just as quickly, it was gone.

The next day, Anakin's fever had gone, but left him weakened. Rex had to carry him on his back as they searched for a better place to take shelter. The Jedi hadn't even protested, he'd been so weak.

Anakin closed his eyes, struggling to center himself and get into a healing trance. He evened his breathing, and focused. The force felt so thin here, and it took a bit more out of him as he reached out.

What he found was a tempest of dark and light that violently pulsed and made him feel a little more sick. Was the darkside really that strong in him? He shivered, he really didn't want it to be, and silently struggled to release it to the force. As he struggled he brushed against a bond that he had never felt before, it was cold and dark, nothing like the bonds he had shared with Obi-wan or Ashoka.

He needed to get it out, sooner rather than later.

* * *

Present:

Rex gave an overview of what had happened, starting from the capture, going through their escape and the sacrifice of Splint, their landing, Anakin's injuries and illness, finding the Vulpes, and setting up camp by the village. He did leave parts out, but when he was called on it, he said that General Skywalker had requested he not tell them until after they had spoken with the Jedi.

No one questioned him on that.

"So, how long till Skyguy wakes up?"

"Depends. Sometimes he doesn't wake until morning." Echo spoke. "Commander." He added, looking embarrassed.

"We know its poison, but we don't know how to treat it. The general has been working on getting it out of his blood stream."

"Calmed he has. Grown in the force, his strength is." Yoda taped his cane gently. "Future, clouded by Light, it is."

"How could a future be clouded in light?"

"Same way looking into a sun temporarily blinds you." Echo offered. Then ducked his head. "Sorry, General Skywalker and I were talking about the force."

"No need for Sorry." Yoda smiled. "Approve, I do."

"Wait, what happened to Skyguy's arm?"

"It . . . got infected . . . we had to amputate it." Rex looked a little pale. "His condition improved greatly, after that."

"How?"

"Grievous left a spare lightsaber on the prison ship, we took it with us when we escaped."

"Anakin's awake." Obi-wan stood up. "I think we'll go to him, rather than have him come to us. Commander Cody, if you and Rex would design a watch? I'd hate to have Grievous sneak up on us." With that, the Jedi slipped into the room Anakin was in. He was in a reclining chair, and his cloak from earlier acted as a blanket. For the first time, Obi-wan and the others noticed a metal brace on his leg, clearly bent into shape with the force.

"Master, you look terrible." Ashoka went to his side. He had paled even more from the strain of staying awake, but the smile still had wry humor behind it.

"Thanks Snips, I feel about the same. Grievous did a real number on me." Anakin closed his eyes, looking much frailer than he had before.

"We know he tortured you, we won't go through that, but did you tell him anything?"

"No. I spent my entire time keeping my shields up and making sure Ashoka and Obi-wan couldn't feel anything. He didn't get anything from me."

"Rex said you had something to tell us." Obi-wan moved to sit by his side.

"The council, actually, though Snips can probably stay."

"Padawan, stay and hear, you will."

"While I was recovering, well, more like while I was in between fevers, I tried to meditate and get into a healing trance. I found something . . . a force bond but it was dark, cold. I found that it was wrapped around my mind, playing with my emotions and making it difficult to reach a state of calm. I destroyed it, while I was in the middle of another fever. I had a brief period of lucidness, and I realized something . . . there are only two Sith, Dooku and Sidious, but Dooku has never been anywhere near me to form a bond like that."

"How sure are you that it was a sith?"

"Because whoever it was, was strong in the darkside." Anakin's eyes dulled a moment, before he roused himself. "And I'm very sure, Master Windu, I've had a chance to think about it, because it makes sense . . . Sidious is somewhere on Coruscant, and we can't sense him because he's blocking us, one way or another. He's probably enjoying the fact he can walk right by the Jedi and we can't notice him." Anakin shifted, and tried to use the stump of his right arm to shift his weight. Ashoka helped him. "My dreams have gotten worse since then, I've managed to get rid of all the negative emotions- I think it's the first time I've been able to meditate without distraction, but they keep getting worse."

"How bad?"

"The temple burns, as does the entire galaxy. Everything is so dark, even with the flames."

"Understand, we do." Yoda bowed his head. "Vigilant, we should have been. Too late, it is." Yoda then moved to stand on the armrest. "Rest you must. Regain your strength, you shall."

"I can rest when we get to the temple, Master Yoda."

"We'll be able to leave in two days, If the seperatists don't come after us first."

"They won't. Haven't been able to find us yet." Anakin smirked. "The Vulpes, for all their childlike behavior, are clever at hiding. These caves stretch under the surface for miles." Anakin's eyes fluttered again, trying to close.

"Be that as it may, rest you shall." Yoda touched his forehead, but Anakin shifted. "More to say have you?"

"Rex . . . was trying to get my fever down, after I destroyed the bond. I . . . well, I wasn't quite myself, the fever was pretty high. I wasn't aware of what I was doing, but I used the force to find him . . . I wound up making a bond between the two of us, it helped stabilize me, but . . . is it going to be a problem?" Anakin was straining to stay awake and get it out.

"Done without thinking, it was. No punishment will be given." Yoda sat next to him. "Discuss this later, you and I will." Yoda touched Anakin's forehead. "Help heal you, I will." Anakin obediently closed his eyes, and Yoda smiled as he quickly entered a deeper and stronger trance than what he had reached before. Anakin had grown in the force, there was still a hint of darkness, a piece of him that would always fear and worry for those he cared for, but it was manageable. More manageable then it had been. Skywalker was also weakened from keeping himself from falling apart, his force abilities going to heal himself as best he could.

"Guess you have to retract the statement of death." Obi-wan smiled, crossing his arms. Anakin looked peaceful, now that he slept, there wasn't any strain.

"See to that, Master Windu will."

"That's one task I will be glad to do." Mace smiled wryly.

They exited to see Rex with his arms crossed and frowning. Cody had his helmet off, and he had the same frown.

"Something wrong?"

"The Captain is of the opinion that we shouldn't post a guard outside the cave at night." Cody explained.

"Is there a reason for your opinion, Captain?"

"Yes. Karch."

"What does meat have to do with anything?"

"It's the animal that the meat is from that worries me. It's a nocturnal bird the size of Commander Tano and is fiercely territorial. There's one that nests in the small cave above our entrance." Ashoka frowned as her height was brought up. Just because she hadn't hit her growth spurt . . .

"So we can't patrol outside because?"

"It would attack."

"So? Just shoot to scare it off."

"Doesn't work." Fives reached his hand up to his left shoulder. "That bird isn't afraid of pain or getting killed as long as it defends its territory, sir."

"That, and it acts like a pretty good watchdog. It will attack anything that moves, which would include droids." Echo nodded.

"Listen to the Captain, we must. Survived on this planet, they have." Master Yoda sat back in one of the recliners. "Experience outranks rank."

"Very well." Rex shook his head at Cody's annoyance.

"Commander, I'm not trying to upsurp you."

"I know, Captain."

" . . . If the Karch is the size of Commander Tano, how do the Vulpes catch it?" Booster asked from where he had been standing.

"While they may act like children, they're very skilled at making things. Darts are their favorite weapon, but they excel at making traps. We've helped put some of them together . . . I'd like to try one in particular on the Seps." Rex noted the looks. "Sorry, Generals, Commanders."

"You said that you knew Grievous was looking for you."

"Yes, we'd already established a friendship with the Vulpes, so when we told them the droids were our enemies, they automatically helped us hide. Ani-General Skywalker could sense Grievous, but he never seemed able to sense us." Rex stood straight, but it was clear, especially now, that he was fatigued as well. Echo and Fives also looked the worse for wear, though they seemed to share a quiet strength that kept them going. "We couldn't fight, as we don't have working blasters, we used most of the charge to escape."

"I see, and when was the last time you three slept the entire night?" Obi-wan crossed his arms. Echo and Fives looked at Rex.

"We couldn't afford too, even with the Karch guarding our door, not with the General so . . . injured."

"And Skywalker's opinion on this?"

"He doesn't know. We never told him." Rex resisted the urge to rub his eyes. "Though he probably suspects it, he hasn't been able to press the issue."

"Well, he might not have, but I will. You three are under orders to get a full night's sleep. We're still fresh, and we'll stay in the cave for the night."

"Very well, General. I'd recommend you mind the fire, there are a few small creatures in the caves that don't like the smell and will stay away as long as it's going. They aren't harmful, just very annoying." Rex finally gave into the urge rub his eyes. An admission to how tired he was.

"Anything else?"

"Yes, look out for White."

"Who?"

"White. He's a white-furred Vulpe that is thought by the others to be a ghost. He's pretty young, and he lives in the caves. He used to steal food from us." Echo explained. "Then General Skywalker just started leaving some out for him. He might not show up, as he doesn't know you, but if he does just ignore him. He knows the caves real well and the few times we tried to catch him, he managed to get away. He's harmless, and doesn't want trouble."

"Has he let you near him?"

"Only the General, and that was only for a moment so the general could put a bandage on the kit's cut. He shot off pretty quick afterwards, though after he hovered pretty close to the general on occasion."

Goodnights were said, and the trio of clones went into another niche. A moment later, when Ashoka and Cody glanced in, they were all dead asleep.

"They're out." Ashoka moved to sit down. "Why are they all so tired?"

"Because Anakin wasn't the only one who has been injured, Echo also has a slight limp, Fives' shoulder must've been clawed by the Karch and Rex has probably put in overtime to take care of them all when that happened. They've spent a year and a half on this planet, with no way to contact the outside world as they couldn't face a full-strength Grievous and the amount of droids he probably has."

"It doesn't seem to have stopped them from trying." Cody found several droid parts. "It looks like someone was trying to build a comm. link from scratch, General Skywalker, probably."

"That would be his area of expertise." Obi-wan agreed and glanced at the poor construction. "But without tools and only one hand, even he would have trouble."

"Well, at least he's alive." Ashoka smiled. "I missed him."

As everyone settled down for the night, they were largely unaware of two pink eyes watching them.

The vulpe the four called 'White' studied the new arrivals, silently. When Vulpes are born, they learn to walk and speak in a matter of days, so when White was banished due to his unusual eye and fur color, he could somewhat fend for himself. The strange creatures arrived at the caves not too long after he did.

White didn't understand very much in terms of words, but he had plenty of ideas that fit. The creature with dark cloth glowed like the orb in the sky during the day. The three other creatures had less light, but were still more light than he had seen, they were also similar to each other but looked nothing like the light creature.

White listened, and gradually learned more words that he quickly added to his vocabulary. The orb in the sky during the day was a 'sun', the other in the night was a 'moon'. The three similar creatures were Rex sometimes called Captain, Echo and Fives. The light creature was called Skywalker or General or Sir, and he seemed to always know when White was about. White had been shocked the first time. How had the Skywalker known he was there? Gradually he figured that the Skywalker could see other's lights too, when he wasn't sick and resting.

The Creature called Rex worried about Skywalker a lot, as did the Fives and the Echo.

Now there were new creatures, some had light brighter than Rex and the other two, but none were as bright as Skywalker. White put his fingers in his mouth, thinking. Were they good? They must be, cause they were allowed in the caves. Would they help Skywalker? He hoped so, Skywalker's light weakened and pulsed, and White knew that wasn't a good thing.

Skywalker offered food and had healed him, White owed him something back, but what?

White didn't know, and so he kept his fingers in his mouth, struggling to understand what he should do.


	6. Chapter 6

A standard Year and a half ago:

Rex and Anakin were struggling with the new bond. Anakin could easily block and ignore anything from Rex, he could also keep his thoughts private . . . when he was lucid enough to remember to. Rex worked on meditating and trying to block out the second influence, but it wasn't easy for the clone captain. Echo and Fives had gone to scout for a place to hide, and Rex felt safe enough to lose some composure.

"Sorry." Rex glanced at Anakin, who was still looking like death warmed over. "Didn't mean to create that bond." Rex could feel that regret rolling around and brushing up against the strange new connection.

"I'm not mad sir, I just can't figure how to ignore you." Understanding pulsed gently, plenty of it. Gently, Anakin tugged on his mind, and showed him how to build a wall to keep him out. Then Anakin was able to pull out and Rex could shut the bond behind him. "Thank you sir."

"You're welcome, Rex." Weary, Anakin closed his eyes. Rex turned back to keeping an eye out for the others, while Anakin reflected on their situation.

There was nothing he could do. The pod's communications had not survived the impact and most of the wires were capable of shorting out. It was too risky in the long run, and there was a good chance of the comm. calling Grievous or Ventress or someone else that would love to kill the clones and torture him.

He couldn't let that happen. So he wouldn't.

He was sick and injured, traveling even short distances made him weak so Rex or one of the others had to carry him. There was no way he could heal himself, not on this planet, which made reaching the force, light or dark, more difficult. He had destroyed that dark bond, and had succeeded in washing away most of his anger, but that was all he had been able to do. He couldn't lift or move things with the force, and he was still unsure how he had created the bond between Rex and himself.

There was no way off the planet, no way to contact anyone without risking their lives, and he was unwilling to do that while he was sick.

So they would survive, he'd heal, slowly but surely, and then they'd be in a better position to deal with danger if it came around.

And in the mean time, he would put the future out of his mind. What mattered right now was him surviving and living long enough for someone to find him and the clones.

* * *

Present: 

"Are you able to walk?" The question from Mace paused the activity in the cave, as everyone prepared to move back to the crash site. It was directed at Anakin, who blinked.

"I'm standing upright, aren't I?"

"That's not what I meant. Can you walk long distances?"

"If we take a break, now and then." Anakin reluctantly admitted. He glanced at Rex. "Or we could take the Danka."

"I thought we agreed we wouldn't use that again, sir?" Rex picked up a bow, ignoring Cody's incredulous look.

"We agreed we wouldn't go to that gorge by Danka again, not that we wouldn't use it."

"Then we'll have to hurry."

"What is a Danka?"

"It's a large animal with a wide back. Kinda looks like someone tried to flatten it out. They travel in pairs. The Vulpes use them to travel long distances. They have set migration patterns, much like the airbuses in Coruscant." Anakin then made a face. "Unfortunately, they smell and make a rather annoying clacking noise as they walk, but it's faster than walking."

"Then we'll do that."

Anakin, Obi-wan soon decided, had become a master at understating things. Dankas actually smelled like dumpsters, and the annoying clack came from a peculiar bone-like thing on their head that moved as they walked. It was rather rhythmic, like a musician tapping two pieces of wood together to keep a beat, but it was, as Anakin stated, annoying. Not that Anakin was known for lying, he usually didn't say anything and let others form their own conclusions if he had to skirt around the truth. On that note, Obi-wan probably had let him get away with a lot of things because he had just assumed he knew Anakin the best.

Speaking of Anakin, his former apprentice was leaning against the clone captain, clearly not quite recovered, despite Master Yoda's help. He had pulled his black cloak around him, hood up to block the sun from his eyes, as he rested. Obi-Wan could feel Anakin's exhaustion, and had a feeling that Anakin had caught a cold or bug of some kind after he had over exerted himself before their arrival.

It would also explain why he allowed Rex to carry him, despite his protests that he was fine.

Ashoka was right by their side, and Obi-wan smiled as Anakin roused himself enough to pat her shoulder, reassuring her. Ashoka's confidence had taken a dive, as first she had been almost tortured to death by Grievous, and then woke to learn her master had gone missing and was possibly killed. He had taken over her training, but there had always been the sorrow and what felt like Anakin's ghost between them.

That's not to say Obi-wan expected things to go right back to how they were, Anakin had been missing for two years, things had changed on both sides, but Obi-wan knew that as much as they had changed, some things would always remain.

"Almost there, we are." Yoda spoke, pointing out the wreck of what had been Grievous's landing ship.

"I was wondering where the Vulpes got the metal, I thought they found our crashed pod." Anakin shifted, then glanced at the sky. "It's going to rain." That earned some grumbling from Echo and Fives. "Well, it is the rainy season." He gave them both an amused look as they quickly retreated into their cloaks as well.

"But master, the sky is nice shade of blue, there aren't any clouds." Ashoka noted, and Anakin smiled as he covered her with part of his cloak.

"The sky is too blue, padawan. When it rains here, the sky turns a deeper blue." A flash of light and a loud popping sound was soon followed by the rain . . . if you could call it that. It was like wet jelly, and was a shade of blue-green. "And this is what the Vulpes use for their stew, it keeps longer than water."

With the addition of the rain and the popping sound that passed for thunder, the clacking sound became even more annoying.

"I really don't like this planet." Ashoka muttered. Anakin laughed, though it was a little bitter.

"Neither do I Snips, I'm just used to it."

"We're coming up on our ship now." Cody stood, balancing as best he could.

"Then let's go." Rex gripped Anakin's arm to help him down. Anakin stumbled at the landing, wincing.

"Ship doesn't look too bad." Anakin commented. "Artoo, do a diagnostic, okay?" the droid beeped and plugged in. "Might be able to still fly it."

"With what?" Mace frowned. "How do you expect to fix this with one hand?"

"Well, that would be where someone with both hands kindly volunteers their help." Anakin quipped, pulling out a tool box. Mace arched an eyebrow. "Snips, you're helping."

"I get the feeling he just insulted me." Mace looked at Obi-wan, who shrugged.

"I think the time away managed to sharpen his tongue a bit. Anakin, can we wait for the rain to stop before you start messing with the ship?"

"Sure." Anakin put the box down again. Everyone entered the gun ship.

"Ah!" Ashoka jumped back from a corner, grabbing Rex. A large furry creature that resembled some sort of bug was in the corner.

"It's just a bug, Snips." Anakin shooed it outside.

"It startled me . . ." Ashoka blushed, now embarrassed about her un-jedi-like reaction.

"Well, at least you didn't react like I did when I woke up staring at one." Anakin wiped off some of the strange rain that had, despite the hood, land on his face.

"Why, what did you do?"

"Force pushed it into a wall and fell out of the chair." Ashoka smiled. The mental image was funny.

"I would have paid to see that."

"You wake up with something the size of your head staring at you, Master, and see how well you react. Especially when you can see its fangs the best." Anakin sat down. The movement was almost casual, but it was pretty clear that he had to either sit or fall. "So much for getting better."

"Anakin, you're probably suffering from exhaustion on top of everything else. You just need to rest and not push yourself for awhile." Obi-wan was about to say more when Anakin sat up straight and frowned at one of the sacks. He forced himself up and knelt by it, untying the cord. A startled squeak, and Anakin revealed a white furred vulpe with pink eyes.

"Hello, White." 'White' stared up at him, then noticed the stares of everyone else. The young vulpe quickly hid under Anakin's cloak. "What are you doing here, little one?"

"Skywalker," Mace began, then was cut off by Yoda hitting him in the shin with his stick.

"Look with the force, you must." Mace blinked, then stretched out in the force. It was much easier now that they were away from the grass. The small vulpe was a little eclipsed by Anakin's light, but it was clear that he was also strong in the force. "Force sensitive, the little one is."

"I thought he was, but I could never focus well enough." Anakin gently scooped up White with his good arm. "But that still leaves the question, why were you in the bag?" The little vulpe put its paw into its mouth, silent and wide-eyed. Anakin blinked as the little one instead reached out with the force, brushing Anakin's force aura in curiosity.

"It's warm." White squeaked out in surprise.

"What is?"

"Your light." Anakin blinked, not sure of what to make of that statement. Yoda moved forward, and gently invited the young one to explore his own aura. White did so, then tried to hide in Anakin's cloak again. "Cold! Your light is cold!" White shivered, quickly pulling his force sense away from the cold aura of the master jedi.

"Why would my light be warm and yours cold?" Anakin looked at Yoda. The old jedi master frowned.

"Know not, I do . . ."

"Hey, little guy, is my light cold?" Ashoka knelt next to her master. White peeked out from the folds of the cloak that he had wrapped around himself, and she struggled not to laugh at the look.

"It's warm, but not as warm as his." White silently snuggled back into the warmth. He liked this feeling. He should've tried this before, then he wouldn't have been so cold all the time.

"Don't get attached." Anakin just gave Mace a look.

"He's barely two, Master Windu, I think we can forgive him for clinging to me."

"I was talking to you, Skywalker." Artoo beeped, and Anakin glanced at him.

"I thought you said help would come in two days at the most?"

"From what I remember, that was the travel time for the closest ships." Obi-wan glanced at Artoo. "Are we being hailed?"

"By Admiral Yularen." Artoo activated the holo-comm.

"General Kenobi! What is your situation?"

"Well, we've crash landed on the only planet in the system, and we're all right."

"That's a relief. I'm sending a couple gunships to your location."

"How'd you get here so fast?"

"I made the jump as soon as we heard you were in trouble, General. We managed to make good time, using a lesser known route."

"A smuggler's route, I take it."

"Well, yes. Since it was faster than normal and you needed aid . . ."

"I'm not complaining Admiral. We need medics standing by, we've got some injuries and one sick Jedi." Anakin gave Obi-wan an annoyed look.

The clones that came to help them froze in shock when they saw Anakin right behind Obi-wan.

"General Kenobi, is that General Skywalker?" The clone called Waxer shifted, a little surprised.

"Yes, it is. Apparently he got stranded while trying to get back to the Republic."

"I'm going to get a lot of those questions aren't I?" As the gunship lifted off, Artoo beeped at him. White, who had opted to hide in Anakin's hood, squeaked as his ears popped. Several clones that weren't fully aware of the little vulpes presence jerked.

"Take it easy, it's only a youngling."

"General Kenobi, General Mace and General Yoda, it's good to see you in one piece . . . General Skywalker?!" Admiral Yularen blinked as he recognized the man who was being supported by a strangely dressed clone. A strange white-furred thing peaked over his shoulder. It was rather tiny and looked half starved.

"In need of medical attention, he and the youngling are." Yoda was talking to the medics, and Yularen was surprised when Anakin didn't protest being put into a medical capsule. Then again, he looked rather done in. The little creature then grabbed Master Yoda's hand and wouldn't let go, so the small jedi master had to go with the medics to let the little one get looked at.

"He'll be alright, Commander Cody, after Captain Rex and the other two are checked out, could you find them spare uniforms? I'm sure they'd like to shower and change."

"Yessir."

"Now, Admiral, we need to get in contact with the republic, Grievious is somewhere on that planet."

"Do I actually have to stay in bed for the entire flight?" Anakin was already feeling better, especially since they managed to get off the planet without facing Grievous and however many droids he had. Though it could be the antibiotics. Across from him, young White was sleeping, dressed in the smallest shirt that the medics could find (and even that swallowed him). The small vulpe looked much better, now that mats had been brushed out of his fur and he'd had a bath. Aparently his tail had also been broken at one point and had healed with a bit of a kink to it, and there were several cuts that had remained clean but never really healed.

"Patience, young Skywalker, patience." Yoda chided him. "Rest now, you will."

"You keep saying that." Anakin huffed and lay back. But there was no anger or frustration behind it. It was just an argument for the sake of one, and Yoda knew it. There were a couple of masters like that, Qui-gon being the most famous.

"Older than you, I am. Know more, I do."

"And what if you're actually going senile?" That earned Anakin a slight rap on the shoulder from Yoda's stick. "What? It's possible."

"Respect your elders, you should." But there was a slight smile. "Sleep now, you must."

"Yes Master Yoda." Anakin sighed. "Though how you expect that when that medical droid keeps waking me up every few hours is beyond me." Anakin shifted.

"Stop moving, sleep more." Yoda was starting to get a new respect for Obi-wan.

"Master, it's one thing to sleep on the ground, it's another to sleep on a mattress that is a poor imitation of being the ground." Anakin fully expected the rap that hit his shoulder. "I'd have better luck on the floor." He muttered, glancing at the floor in question.

"Sleep now." Yoda shook his head. "Center yourself and sleep." A soft grunt of annoyance, and Anakin closed his eyes, slowly falling asleep. Yoda smiled, before he had noticed the growing darkness in the boy, despite his attempts to control it. Now, there was the core he had seen when he was a child, but there was more light than the dark. In fact, you could barely see that darkness because of the bright light that glowed from the young man. It was now much more comforting, and so much more hopeful. "The will of the force, this was." Nodding he left the med bay.

"Master Yoda! I was just going to check on Anakin."

"Asleep, Young Skywalker is." The small troll-like Jedi gestured for Obi-wan to follow him. "A powerful light, he holds. Time spent alone, empowered him, it did."

"We're going to need him to end the war."

"Yes, his destiny it is." Yoda nodded, moving on. "Old, I am. Change comes, but see it, I shall hope I do."

"Master, the future is always in motion, as you usually say."

"True. True. But the younglings are the future. Meditate on that, you must."

"Very well." But Yoda did not dismiss him.

"Like healers, Young Skywalker does not?"

"Not that I know of. I've found him hiding in the strangest places when he was younger just to get out of his check up."

"Much like his master, he is." Yoda chuckled.

"I didn't like the food, which has yet to improve by the way." They entered the bridge, seeing the other council members and Mace waiting to speak.

"What news?"

"Found alive Jedi Skywalker has been. Safe with us, he is." There were a few barely repressed cheers in the back ground of the holos- the troops had heard as well as the Jedi generals.

"Thank the force." Kit Fisto smiled. "How is he?"

"Well enough, he escaped from Grievous a year and a half ago, but the planet he landed on had no space travel or communications. He's had some time to recover, but he still needs medical attention. Not to mention a new right hand."

"Well, that's Skywalker." Kit commented. Master Gallia nodded as did several others.

"I'm afraid there's more. While he was waiting for us, he found a bond that he had no knowledge of being made. It was a bond to the dark side, which he promptly destroyed. However, in order for it to have been made, it would have had to be made by someone close enough to see him on an almost constant basis since he was brought to the temple." Mace watched as they all shifted in surprise.

"This is distressing news." Ki-Adi-Mundi frowned. "We are sure the bond is completely dissolved?"

"Yes, checked it, I have."

"Then our best chance to find the Sith is to capture Dooku." Adi Gallia spoke, earning a nod from Master Mundi.

"True, that is. Continue this war, we must."

"We've routed the seperatists in the Dagobah system, it's one less place for them to hide." Ki-Adi-Mundi announced.

"Is there anything even **in** the Dagobah system?" Shaak Ti asked, curious. The holo form of Adi Gallia glanced to the side, listening to something else.

"Just a swamp planet, but it can sustain life. They could build a base if they have the right resources."

"Master Secura just called in, she and Unduli have routed separatists at Dantooine." Adi Gallia spoke up.

And the reports went on. But News of Skywalker's return was spreading through the ships, and to ground troops. Troops that had been ready to give up regained their second wind.

The republic wasn't beaten, not by a long shot, the Hero with no Fear had returned, despite the overwhelming odds.

 **There was more to this story, but the files got corrupted. So this is the end, for now.**


	7. Chapter 7- Saved from Corruption

**Here's what I've recovered, so far, from the corrupted files, I'm still in the process of rewriting this story, and will post the rewrite when I'm completely done with it, so I can have a regular update schedule.**

 **Thank you so much for the the follows and favorites, I thought I should show my appreciation by giving you some more of this story.**

Palpatine stared in shock at the holo-form that had joined Masters Yoda, Windu and Kenobi. Anakin Skywalker had a wry smile on, and it was almost mocking to the sith. As if the lightside of the force was taunting him. "Well done! I almost believed you were gone for good, Jedi Skywalker."

"For a while there, I thought I was too." Anakin shrugged. "I'm back now."

"Back to business we must." Yoda nodded. "Still needs to recover, Skywalker does, before resuming missions."

"Recover? He looks fine to me." Except he couldn't sense the boy through the darkside bond.

"Well, it's more for some surgery, than anything . . . I'm afraid I lost more of my right arm."

"Well, would that restrict him from some political functions?" Palpatine knew the role he'd have to play for the republic. "The sooner the senators see the Hero with no Fear, the better we can get more support for finishing the war." Obi-wan glanced at Anakin with a small smile. Anakin noticed and made a face back before focusing again.

"I can't imagine I'd be able to do much, but if the council clears me for public opinion duty, I would be glad to."

"Good, it is. After surgery for new arm, it must be."

"Of course. Just send me the schedule." Palpatine smiled.

* * *

"What were you lot doing on that planet?" Fives and Echo glanced at each other, not sure how to react. They were running drills under Cody, as the trio of clones had been the least injured of four.

"Surviving, sir."

"Well, it must've done you some good, your times have dramatically improved." The two saluted. "Hit the showers, you're good for today. You have the rest of the day off."

"Yessir!"

Whether by accident or design, after they had showered they managed to walk to the Jedi temple. Both glanced at each other, it wasn't in any regulation that they couldn't go to the temple or elsewhere on planet, afterall, but there had always been some sort of understanding that they were supposed to be seperate, before Fives shrugged and entered. It took about five minutes before the two reached the healers ward. Anakin was sitting up in bed glaring at a Datapad. Hesitantly, Fives knocked on the door frame. Anakin glanced up and smiled.

"Fives, Echo, come on in."

"Came to see how you're recovering, Skywalker." Fives spoke first, before realizing what he said. But Anakin didn't seem to mind.

"Just fine, they've already replaced my right arm." He held it up. "I just have to wait until the healers give me a final check before I can get out of here. How are you adjusting?"

"We're just fine sir. It's a little strange, though, like we're a bit behind everyone somehow."

"That's because when we're around last, we were winning the war." Anakin sighed. "And we aren't going to get much time to adjust before we get thrown back into the war."

"We're ready, sir." Fives didn't make the same mistakes again.

"I know you are. I'm the one that has to read through all the reports I've missed." He scowled at the datapad again.

"Echo's reading all the regulations he missed." Fives earned a smile from Anakin and an annoyed punch from Echo.

"Any new ones?"

"New Curfew, about fifteen standard minutes earlier, other than that, nothing." The trio talked for a bit more, before the Healers shooed the two out for Anakin's final check. The two clones then left to go walk around Corsucant.

"We have to call him General again." Echo looked at Fives, unsure of what his brother meant. "He's a jedi general, that we have to follow."

"What do you mean, Fives?"

"That planet . . . we got too close, Echo. We lost focus." Fives met Echo's gaze. "We treated Skywalker like a brother, but he's not. He's a general, a jedi."

" . . . True, but Fives, there's no regulation about being human."

"We're not human, Echo, we're clones."

"That's not what Skywalker said. We wouldn't argue if we weren't human, Fives." Fives continued on. "So we have to call him General when addressing him in public . . . but if we talk to him in private . . ."

"And when is that going to happen? He's a general, Echo, he's always busy, he won't have time for us."

"Then at least we got to know the man behind the general." Fives blinked, before nodding.

"Yeah, at least."

* * *

Anakin was having second thoughts about this political idea . . . he hadn't had a chance to talk with Padme, yet.

"Second thoughts, master?" Ashoka was dressed in an outfit Padme had bought her after they had been trapped because of the blue shadow virus. That had been the only time they had really bonded. It was rather simple, a red strapless dress with a maroon belt that could hold her lightsaber. Anakin wore his black outfit and cleaner shoulder guards with the republic's symbol clearly seen. It was his 'dress uniform' as a general.

"How could you tell, Snips?"

"You always clench and unclench your right hand, when you have them." She smiled.

"I should probably work on that, then." Anakin offered her his arm. "Obi-wan should be waiting for us with Rex and Cody."

"Poor Rex, first time back in a uniform and it's his dress one." Rex was known for preferring field work to any sit down situations.

"Remind me why we're going to this again?" Obi-wan grumbled, He was wearing a clean white uniform.

"Because we're apparently the only Jedi who can handle being around politicians?" Anakin smiled as Obi-wan glared. "It won't be too horrible, Master. We've been in worse situations."

"Yes, but we could always fight our way out if we had to." Obi-wan got into the transport. "You're not flying?"

"You banned me from flying anything that wasn't a starfighter." Anakin pointed out. Rex and Ashoka joined them, "And there is a chauffeur, master."

"Only 'cause they couldn't rope anyone else into this job." Boil muttered, Waxer in the seat next to him. "How'd this happen again?"

"Well, let's go." Cody closed the door and a few moments later, Anakin was clenching and unclenching his fist again.

"Master, I can't believe you're nervous about this!"

"I have a good reason, Snips. Apparently the bounty put on my head by seperatists doubled last night." Anakin then winced, remembering something else. "And I was in the middle of a disagreement with Senator Organa and Senator Amidala . . . This is not going to go well."

"Senator Organa and Amidala were two of the more adamant ones in believing you were alive . . . I think they've forgiven you." Obi-wan smiled. "Or is there something else you argued about?" He still had the memory of Padme telling him about Anakin's promise to leave the order after the war, to be with her. Anakin sensed it, and looked surprised, before sighing.

"Can we talk about it later? You're going to give me a lecture after I finish." Anakin glanced up as they pulled up to their entrance. "Darn, too late to escape now, the Chancellor's here." Rex shook his head as Waxer got out and opened the doors.

"Skywalker, it's good to see you once more." Palpatine smiled. "How's your arm?"

"It's fine now, Thank you for your concern, Chancellor. It's good to be home on Coruscant once more." Anakin smiled and gave a polite bow.

"General Kenobi, Commander Cody, Captain Rex." The Chancellor smiled as he greeted each of them. "Ah! Padawan Tano, you look like an elegant lady." Ashoka gave a shy smile, unsure of how to respond.

"Thank you, Chancellor." She felt Anakin's gentle nudge through their bond. "Though I must admit, I'm a bit out of my element."

"Well, you certainly don't look it, Padawan. If it's not too much, would you mind accepting the arm of an elderly man?" Anakin gave a small smile and nodded, so Ashoka agreed. Anakin moved to stand on the other side of the chancellor, and Obi-wan calmly moved to be by Ashoka. "I recognize the style as from one of Naboo's designers."

"Yes, Senator Amidala took me shopping as a thank you after a mission, once. She said I needed some dress clothes for occasions when I had to look, well, not like a Padawan or Jedi."

"The senator of naboo is clever at hiding in plain sight."

"A trick Jedi do occasionally need on missions." Obi-wan nodded.

"And here I thought you'd never admit that, Master Kenobi." Anakin smiled.

"That time on Tartuan was the exception, Anakin." Obi-wan frowned at him, not happy.

"Master, you refused to wear the costume and wound up having to run from blasters." Ashoka giggled, and Palpatine smiled. "I, on the other hand, was able to slip away without notice and ended up saving you, again."

"Do I want to know how this happened?" Palpatine kept his smile.

"Master Kenobi was apparently on one of the nobles black list for breaking an expensive plate when he was a padawan, and that noble-"

"-Was completely out of line, hiring bounty hunters to hunt me down." Obi-wan muttered. "It was just a plate."

"Are all your missions like that?"

"No, occasionally we have a nice boring one." Obi-wan shook his head at Anakin. The entourage reached the main Hall doors.

"Is it alright if I keep Padawan Tano for the introductions? I'm afraid my legs aren't as steady as they use to be." Palpatine smiled as they agreed. As he gave their names to the announcer, Obi-wan noted Anakin's brief frown.

"Something wrong?"

"Oh, no, my collar is just scratching my neck." Anakin and Obi-wan moved ahead of the chancellor. "Ready?"

"I've been ready."

"Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi and Jedi Knight Anakin Skywalker!" The doors opened and once the already gathered senator's got over their shock of seeing Anakin walking there, the cheers were deafening. The two Jedi then joined the masses.

* * *

Padme had been standing with Bail Organa and Bail Antilles, discussing a petition. As the announcer grabbed their attention, she had thought the Chancellor had arrived, finally. When the names were announced though, it was like the air had gone out of her, Bail Organa being kind enough to keep her from falling.

"He's alive!" Her heart soared. She had heard rumors, of course, but hadn't been willing to get her hopes up to high, surely he would have come to see her as soon as he could.

"That he is." Bail smiled. Both Jedi were promptly swamped by the senators who wished to see the Hero with no Fear.

The Chancellor received even more applause, with Ashoka Tano on his arm. More than one young senator gave her a good look. Several were a little disappointed when she went to stand by Anakin and Obi-wan.

Finally though, the senators from Alderaan and Naboo were able to see the trio.

"Well met, Anakin. I'd heard rumors but there wasn't enough evidence to back them up." Bail Organa shook his hand. "I'm glad to see they were true this time."

"So am I, Senator."

"I think most everyone was secretly hoping for your survival, Knight Skywalker." Bail Antilles dipped his head.

"I'm surprised we haven't seen you sooner." Padme saw Anakin's remorse flit through his eyes.

"I'm afraid I was in the Healer's wing for some time, in order to make sure I was in perfect health, and have been grounded to the temple." He gave a half smile. "With Master Kenobi and Padawan Tano keeping an eye on me like Mother hens, getting out before I was considered in perfect health was impossible." Padme caught the double meaning.

"Well, hopefully you can come by at some point, C3PO has been a bit off lately, and I think he has a loose wire."

"It would be a pleasure, Senator." Anakin gave her a nod.

"I see you finally had a chance to wear that dress, Padawan Tano." She turned her attention to the young girl- more young woman, actually.

"Yes, Thank you for your advice, Senator." As the event progressed, Anakin was separated from the others. Eventually, Bail Organa saw him again, near a wall and standing out of the way of everyone, as well as the security cameras and audio pickups. Bail silently made his way over.

"Center of attention too much for you?"

"For once." Anakin gave a small smile. "Though I did have an entertaining discussion with the King of Toydaria, and the Dug ambassador about tactics in war."

"Unfortunately, that's never been my interest." Bail watched as two senator's began arguing, and their aides quickly separated them. "I've always been more interested in seeing my wife, as soon as these events are over, even if it's over the holo-mitter." Anakin stiffened.

"That must be nice." Anakin watched as Bail gave him a small smile. "How long?"

"Just since last year, she was really distraught and well, it didn't take long to put two and two together. Her family is still unaware of her marriage, but does know she has a lover that was a jedi and separated from her due to the war and is currently presumed dead." Bail shrugged. "Also, she might have mentioned you thinking of leaving the order to be with her after the war to Kenobi. Nothing about your, uh, actual status."

"I'm afraid it's no longer thinking of leaving, senator." Anakin saw his surprise. "I've had time to think, and well, holo-mitters aren't the same as being there. When this war is over, I'm going to go into the private life."

"Well, if you ever need a job, I can probably give references." The two men clinked their glasses together. "Now, I'm afraid you're going to have to go mingle again, and watch out for the senator from Dathomir, she's rather . . . flirty, once she's been drinking."

"So's the female senator from Shili." Anakin made a face. "Just because my padawan is torgrutan doesn't mean I'm interested." Bail laughed. As they returned to the main floor, Anakin felt the darkside brush against him, then quickly vanish with no sign as to who it came from.


End file.
